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Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Confession Tuesday

Holy Confession Tuesday, Batman. How do weeks go so fast?

I'm just back from being part of a Writer's Conference (with Oliver de la Paz & some other poets) so let's confess about that ---

I spent the weekend at a writer's conference as a "publishing expert," I think they may have been playing a little fast and loose with their terminology, but it was quite nice to talk with poets and writers about their publishing goals and help them create their own path as writers.

The biggest mistake I saw from writers is putting the goal of publishing before the actual job of writing. In my eyes, there needs to be a book first and then the author photo, not vice versa.

Two words (which I've stolen from someone): Writers write.

The conference had me in a wonderful little apartment in someone's wonderful home. I could live that simply.

I am so addicted to email that I stood out on my freezing deck in my PJs facing the forest at 6 am with its morning birds singing trying to hitchhike on a faint wi-fi signal from somewhere...and I did.

I felt a huge satisfaction watching my emails download, then I went back in my room to sit in front of the fire and have coffee and a poppyseed muffin.

At first I was sad to be at the conference as an editor instead of a poet, but I ended up enjoying this new role. Though a fear I have is that people will see me as an editor before a writer. The writing part of myself is a part that I just can't lose (I've lost it before it and those were 2 very sad years for me.)

The first night of the conference, a group of us ate at the most delicious Mediterranean place (the Langley Cafe). I had the veggie sampler with hummus, baba ghanoush, stuffed grape leaves, eggplant, rice, more veggies, and feta cheese plus a glass of Shiraz. The family hosting me treated me to tiramisu when I returned back. There is a part of me that just loves being well taken care of and well fed - the other part likes to be neglected and starving (I'm kidding- I just realized what an odd statement that first part was.)

I like that Oliver takes photos of his food (and mine too). He's just generally awesome though.

I was surprised people purchased my poetry book since I was there as an editor and not a poet. But I always tend to be surprised when someone buys my book, this was just a little more so.

On the ferries, to and from the conference (I had to take 2 to get there), I had hoped to see orcas, but didn't. I did see an owl fly by my window back in my room. I tend to take them as signs, though I'm not exactly sure what for.

Here's what it says about owls--

Owl: deception, clairvoyance, insight (the night eagle) It has great intuition: it is the totem of psychics and clairvoyants. It has the courage to follow its instincts. Owl's medicine includes seeing behind masks, silent and swift movement, keen sight, messenger of secrets and omens, shape-shifting, link between the dark, unseen world and the world of light, comfort with shadow self, moon power, freedom.

6 comments:

Hi, Kelli. I've just recently found your blog. I feel at home with you. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I'm a retired elementary teacher who is determined to write once again. (My writing has been constipated.) But the words are flowing once again, and that's important. I'm not judging them - just getting words OUT is important at this point.

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